Stanley Swartzel
Stanley, the old codger of the group (born 1948), has had an inborn love for music since birth. As a tot, he would hold on to the record player cabinet and joyfully bounce to "Buttons and Bows" sung by Dinah Shore, a wonderful old song published in 1947. He sang and whistled all through his childhood. And actually, he still does, sometimes so much as to annoy the birds.
As he grew, his dad saw his musical interest and, at age 7, bought him his first instrument. It was a large, double-sided harmonica. Stanley spent hours and hours down in the woods, by himself, playing on this instrument until he was playing songs for his dad. So, his dad visited pawn shops often, bringing home more instruments. He once brought home an accordion, which Stanley still has today.
Stanley started playing in the band in 7th grade on a Coronet. He played in the band through high school, and beyond. While in school bands, he trained and played on several instruments, to include, the Ab Alto Horn, French horn, Trombone and Tuba. He also played on the electric guitar as a teenager. He thoroughly enjoyed a small baritone Uke, which he has kept to this day, as a close musical companion. Stanley enlisted in the US Army in 1969, trained for seven months at the US Navy School of Music in VA, and then played the Tuba in Fort Jackson's 282nd Army Band for his tour of duty.
After the Army, Stanley felt the pull of good Bluegrass music. He purchased a banjo and began learning this style of folk music. In time, with a love for the way music is expressed by the "common folk", as opposed to professional performers, he migrated to Old Time Music. He feels that the "soul" of the life of people is felt and expressed in this type music. Although he has a love for almost all types of music, the "roots" type of music intrigues him the most.
Stanley currently has a room full of instruments. As he says, "I'm instrument poor!". He enjoys occasionally playing most all of them. Some of these instruments are: the keyboard, banjo, guitar, baritone and tenor ukulele's, washtub bass, autoharp, accordion, harmonica, tin flute, American Indian flute, with occasional attempts at the fiddle and mandolin.
Stanley predominately plays the washtub bass with the Spurgeon boys Band. The washtub bass is one of his favorite instruments to play in public. This is because the tub bass seems to make folks feel comfortable in coming to talk to him after a performance. He greatly enjoys the conversations with these folks and loves to share what he has learned about making and playing a washtub bass. The washtub's ability to accurately play notes in tune with the band has amazed, not only onlookers, but, Stanley himself! He has been playing the tub for about 10 years now, and has played the tub with other bands in the past at various gigs, even to include a wedding and a funeral. He especially enjoys being a part of the Spurgeon Boys, thoroughly enjoying the types of music we play together!